State of Oaxaca
Flag Coat of arms
Location within Mexico
Municipalities of Oaxaca
Country	Mexico
Capital	Oaxaca
Municipalities	570
Government
- Governor	Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (PRI)
- Federal Deputies	PRD: 7 PRI: 2 Convergencia: 1 PT: 1
- Federal Senators	PRI: 1 PRD: 1 Convergencia: 1
Area Ranked 5th
- Total	93,952 km² (36,275. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Oaxaca is the name of both a state in Mexico and that state's capital city Municipalities ( municipios in Spanish) are the second-level administrative division in Mexico (where the first-level administrative division is the The United Mexican States (or Mexico) is a union of 31 thirty one States and one Federal District (the Mexican Federal District, or Distrito Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (born in Chalcatongo, Oaxaca, on April 9 1958) is a Mexican Politician and current Governor The Chamber of Deputies (in Spanish: Cámara de Diputados) is the lower house of the Congress of the Union, Mexico 's bicameral The Party of the Democratic Revolution (in Spanish: Partido de la Revolución Democrática, PRD is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The Institutional Revolutionary Party ( Spanish: Partido Revolucionario Institucional or PRI) is a Mexican Political party that wielded Convergence ( Spanish:) is a political party in Mexico. It was previously known as Convergence for Democracy (Convergencia por la Democracia The Labor Party ( Partido del Trabajo, abbreviated as "PT" is a nationally recognized Political party in Mexico. The Senate ( Spanish: Cámara de Senadores or Senado) is the upper house of Mexico 's Bicameral Congress. The Party of the Democratic Revolution (in Spanish: Partido de la Revolución Democrática, PRD is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. Convergence ( Spanish:) is a political party in Mexico. It was previously known as Convergence for Democracy (Convergencia por la Democracia Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. The following table presents a listing of Mexico 's 31 federal states (and its Federal District, officially not a state ranked in order of their surface area Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 1 sq mi)
Population (2005)
- Total	3,506,821 (Ranked 10th)
- Density	37/km² (95. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The following table is a list of the 31 federal states and the Federal District of Mexico, ranked in order of their total population based on data from the 2000 and Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
HDI (2004)	0. The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Daylight saving time ( DST The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 7164 - medium Ranked 31st
ISO 3166-2	MX-OAX
Postal abbr. The following table presents a listing of Mexico 's 31 federal states (and its Federal District, officially not a state ranked in order of their Human Development ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO	Oax.
Website: http://www.oaxaca.gob.mx

Oaxaca wɑˈhɑkə (help·info), in Spanish phonemically /oa'xaka/, named for its largest city, is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located in the southern part of the country, west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Oaxaca is the name of both a state in Mexico and that state's capital city The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an Isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and Oaxaca borders the states of Guerrero to the west, Puebla to the northwest, Veracruz to the north, Chiapas to the east, and the Pacific Ocean in the south. The State of Guerrero is a state in the southern meridional region of Mexico. Is a Mexican state located in the center east of the country to the east of Mexico City. Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave is one of the 31 states that constitute the republic of Mexico. Chiapas is the southernmost state of Mexico, located towards the southeast of the country The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions

Oaxaca, the historic home of the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, contains more speakers of indigenous languages than any other Mexican state. The Zapotecs are an indigenous people of Mexico. The population is concentrated in the southern state of Oaxaca, but Zapotec communities exist The Mixtec (or Mixteca) are an indigenous Mesoamerican people inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla ^[1]

With an area of 36,820. 2 km² (95,364 mi. ²), Oaxaca is the fifth largest state in the Republic. According to the 2005 census it had a population of 3,506,821 people.

Notable Oaxacans include President Benito Juárez, born in the Oaxacan village of San Pablo Guelatao, as well as Rufino Tamayo, Porfirio Diaz, José Vasconcelos, Francisco Toledo, María Sabina, J. Benito Pablo Juárez García (benit̪o paβ̞lo xwaɾes gaɾsia ( March 21, 1806 – July 18, 1872) was a Zapotec Amerindian San Pablo Guelatao is a town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and the seat of the municipality of Guelatao de Juárez, about 55 km north of the city of Rufino Tamayo ( August 25, 1899 &ndash June 24, 1991) was a Zapotecan Indian José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican politician ( September 15, 1830 – 2 July 1915) that would later become the president of Mexico José Vasconcelos Calderón ( February 28 1882, Oaxaca Oaxaca &ndash June 30 1959, Mexico City) was a Mexican Francisco Benjamín López Toledo (b 17 July 1940, Juchitán Oaxaca) is an important Mexican graphic artist. María Sabina García ( 1888 - November 23, 1985) was a Mazatec Medicine woman who lived her whole life in a modest dwelling in the Alberto Canseco Díaz, Major League Baseball player Vinicio Castilla, chemical engineer Marco Rito-Palomares and many other writers, artists and politicians. Vinicio Castilla Soria, commonly known as Vinny Castilla (born July 4, 1967 in Oaxaca Oaxaca, Mexico) is a former Major League Marco Antonio Rito Palomares PhD born April 1966 in Salina Cruz Oaxaca, Mexico.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Pre-Columbian 1.2 Colonial period 1.3 Independence 1.4 Recent 2 Law and government 3 Geography 4 Geology 5 Municipalities and regions 6 Demographics 7 Tourism and regional festivals 8 Culture 8.1 Crafts 8.2 Cuisine 8.3 Plants and shamanism 9 See also 9.1 Major communities 10 Notes 11 Bibliography 12 External links

History

Pre-Columbian

Oaxaca's rugged terrain, which caused various groups to develop in relative isolation from one another, is responsible for the cultural and linguistic diversity of the region. The central Valley of Oaxaca was one of the most fertile areas of the Americas and allowed powerful and influential groups to emerge. Valley of Oaxaca is a geographic region located within the modern day State of Oaxaca in southern Mexico. The valley was first occupied by the Zapotec people, who were conquered by the Mixtecs in the thirteenth century. The Zapotecs are an indigenous people of Mexico. The population is concentrated in the southern state of Oaxaca, but Zapotec communities exist The Mixtec (or Mixteca) are an indigenous Mesoamerican people inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla Society was mainly organized in villages by extended family groups with communal authority, although the civilizations of the Mixtecs and Zapotecs did have kings and religious orders.

Among these civilizations' accomplishments were the domestication of many plants and animals including corn, beans, chocolate, tomatoes, chiles, squash, pumpkin, and turkeys. Also available in the fertile region of Oaxaca were pineapples, avocados, zapotes, and maguey. In the south, the Pacific Ocean was an important food source. The civilizations built by these groups are reflected in important archaeological sites including Monte Albán, Mitla, Guiengola and Huijatzoo. Monte Albán is a large Pre-Columbian Archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Mitla is the name commonly given to an archaeological site located in the town of San Pablo Villa de Mitla in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Guiengola is a Zapotec archeological site located 14 km north of Tehuantepec. Monte Albán was a great ceremonial center built on a flattened mountain top by the Zapotec people which reached its zenith between 600 and 900 AD The ancient Zapotec village of Teotitlán del Valle near the city of Oaxaca is one of the oldest human settlements in Mexico.

Throughout the Zapoteca era, local and regional trade flourished, and most important economic activities were agriculture, hunting, fishing and mining; silver and gold having been fashioned by artisans for hundreds of years. Commercial routes passed through Oaxaca to the Mayan lands of the north and south to Central and South America. Major ports were located in present-day Salina Cruz, Astata, Huatulco, Puerto Ángel and Pinotepa Nacional. Salina Cruz is a major Seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Huatulco (waˈtulko wah-TOOL-coe) ("Bahías de Huatulco" centered around the town of La Crucecita Puerto Ángel is a coastal town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Pinotepa Nacional (formally Santiago Pinotepa Nacional; in Mixtec, Ñuu Yoko) is a city and seat of the municipality of the same name in the

In the mid-fifteenth century, the central valley was conquered by the Aztecs, who forced the surrounding Mixtec and Zapotec kingdoms to pay tribute to the emperor in the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political There are some towns in Mexico which are spelled "Tenochtitlán" like San Lorenzo The Aztec presence had the effect of increasing social and economic ties between Oaxaca and the Aztec heartland. Shortly after 1496, the Aztecs established a garrison in the center of the valley, around the Cerro del Fortín and down to the present Church of Carmen Alto where their temple was located. The Aztecs called their garrison Huāxyacac, meaning "place of guaje trees" in the Nahuatl language, named for the great number of the species (Leucaena esculenta) in the area. Nahuatl ( is a group of related languages and dialects of the Aztecan or Nahuan branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family Leucaena is a Genus of about 24 species of leguminous trees and shrubs distributed from Texas, U Under Spanish rule, Huāxyacac would become Oaxaca, and the pronunciation of the x would transition from "sh" [ʃ] to the modern Spanish "j" [h].

Colonial period

Tenochtitlan fell to the Spanish in August of 1521 and with it all of the Aztec empire. On November 25, 1521, Francisco de Orozco arrived in the central valley to claim it in the name of the conquistador Hernan Cortes, who had been granted Oaxaca as his prize for the conquering of New Spain by the Spanish crown. Cortes was thereby named Marques del Valle de Oaxaca. The settlement founded by the Spanish in 1521 as Segura de la Frontera, later known as Nueva Antequera, was officially raised to the category of a royal city in 1532 by decree of Emperor Charles V (Carlos I) with the name of Antequera de Guaxaca. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was

Transformation was swift in the central valley with the Spanish introducing new food and methods of cultivation. Cortes himself ordered the cultivation of wheat in the Valley of Etla and the construction of mills. The Spanish cultivated sugar cane and imported silkworms. Disease introduced by the arriving Spanish greatly diminished the native population of Oaxaca, as did the insatiable appetite for gold, which led more and more Oaxacans into the dangerous mines.

Over the 300 years of colonialism many aspects of life became Europeanized. Important government positions were filled with the Spanish and their descendants, and later by elite mestizos, persons of mixed European and indigenous ancestry.

Independence

Mexico's independence from Spain was won in 1821. Throughout the 1800s and into the early 1900s, Oaxaca remained largely an agriculture-based economy with little new industry. The automobile created a divide between the traditional villages and the new urban world of mobility and fast communication. A railroad was built connecting Oaxaca to Mexico city. Centuries of deforestation resulted in rampant erosion forcing migration to the cities and the U. S.

Recent

Main article: 2006 Oaxaca protests

In May of 2006 a teachers strike, calling for higher wages, led to the occupation of many buildings and streets in Oaxaca's capital city. The Mexican state of Oaxaca was embroiled in a conflict that lasted more than seven months and resulted in at least eighteen deaths and the occupation of the Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by Employees to perform work. On June 14, 2006, the Oaxaca Teachers Union was evicted. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming By October of 2006, supporters of the strike, led by the Asemblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO), had grown to tens of thousands, calling for Oaxaca governor Ulises Ruíz Ortíz to resign. Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (born in Chalcatongo, Oaxaca, on April 9 1958) is a Mexican Politician and current Governor Demonstrators launched a widespread campaign of civil disobedience and took over the state-run television station. Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain Laws demands and commands of a Government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical ^[2] On October 27, 2006, paramilitary forces fired on a crowd of protesters, killing three: Esteban Zurrita and Emilio Alonso Fabian, two locals involved in the demonstrations, and Brad Will, a U. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status Bradley Roland Will (1970-2006 was a US Anarchist, documentary Filmmaker and a Journalist with Indymedia New York S. independent journalist and activist who had been videotaping the protest. ^[3] On October 28, 2006, Mexican President Vicente Fox ordered riot police to regain control of the city. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Vicente Fox Quesada ( born July 2 1942) is a Mexican politician who served as President of Mexico from 2000 to 2006 and currently ^[4] On October 29, police and military forces used bulldozers, water cannons and tear gas to push Oaxaca's citizens back. Police are agents or agencies usually of the executive, empowered to enforce the law and to effect public and social order through the legitimatized use of force A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking ----A bulldozer is a crawler ( Caterpillar tracked Tractor) equipped with a substantial metal plate (known as a blade) used to push large quantities A water cannon is a device that shoots a high- Pressure stream of Water. A lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (from lacrima meaning "a tear " in Latin) (commonly referred to as tear gas) is a Government forces seized Oaxaca's town hall by mid-afternoon. At least one more person was killed in the most recent violence, raising the total of persons killed to "more than a dozen. "^[5] Early in the morning on November 2, Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday, the PFP attempted to clear barricades surrounding the Autonomous University of Oaxaca Benito Juarez, which houses the radio station Radio Universidad, one of the last radio or television outlets still under the control of the APPO. The The Federal Preventive Police ( Spanish Policía Federal Preventiva) or PFP, is the uniformed Federal police force of Mexico A pitched battle ensued, during which police fired tear gas onto University grounds and dropped gas canisters from low-flying helicopters. The protesters hurled rocks and fireworks at police and set buses and vehicles on fire as impromptu barricades. After several hours, the police withdrew, having failed at least temporarily to gain control of the area surrounding the University or to take the radio station off the air. Subcomandante Marcos of the EZLN has also called for the resignation of Governor Ruíz. Subcomandante Marcos, also known as Delegado Cero in matters concerning the Other Campaign, describes himself as the spokesman for the Mexican rebel The Zapatista Army of National Liberation ( Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN) is an armed Revolutionary group based in Chiapas ^[6]

APPO's occupation of Oaxaca ended on the night of November 25, 2006, when the Federal Preventative Police, or PFP, again went on the offensive, this time making many arrests and clearing away APPO's last encampment, or planton, in front of Santo Domingo church. More than twenty buildings suffered fire damage, although it remains unclear who set the fires. Within a few days, activists handed the radio station of Oaxaca's Autonomous University back to the University, relinquishing what had become APPO's most effective rallying center. Many of those arrested by the PFP were sent to distant prisons. Many of those have subsequently alleged that they were tortured while in custody. Governor Ruiz remains in office.

During the subsequent months, civic leaders, Oaxaca's business community, and especially Oaxaca's tourism sector,have tried to bring Oaxaca back to its previous level of economic functioning. Starting in January, 2007, APPO has staged a series of marches. To date (the end of April, 2007), these have been peaceful.

On July 16, 2007, a large group of APPO supporters claimed they were peacefully marching to the Galaguetza Stadium when the group was stopped by a larger contingent of local, state, federal and army forces, all in riot gear. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Unrest between the colliding groups resulted in tear gas being visible from over a mile away and burning city buses in the eastern road leading to the Stadium. ^[7]

Law and government

Due to its large size, rough terrain and the tendency of the indigenous communities to identify strongly with their village as opposed to their region, Oaxaca is divided in 571 municipios, the most of any one state, accounting for almost 1/4 of all the municipios in the country. Within municipalities are many towns and villages that are self ruled with a system called Usos y Costumbres, a system that advocates for retention of culture and practical ways of conducting daily business. However, since this leads to plurality for individual villages or towns, it tends to depart the ideologies of these villages from each other encouraging regional and tribal rivalries. Usos y Costumbres also contends that it protects the land of indigenous people because it encourages self autonomy. A critic of this is that regions compete for autonomy and differences in ideology (primarily within culture) and always end up forming another municipality. In addition since Usos y Costumbres advocates autonomy it fails to identify with its municipality (the village's head of government) and there is no direct communication between the State and villages. A failure of Usos y Costumbres to adapt quickly for political change leaves the villages and towns vulnerable to exploitation from interest groups and big government who don't see an incentive in aligning their goals and policies with the views of such towns.

Geography

Oaxaca is located at the convergence of the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain ranges, resulting in a rugged and mountainous terrain with a large temperate central valley. The Sierra Madre Oriental is a Mountain range in northeastern Mexico, spanning 1000 km from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest The Sierra Madre del Sur is a Mountain range in southern Mexico, extending 1000 km from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the Terrain, or relief, is the third or vertical dimension of land surface. In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is The average altitude is 1,500 meters (5,085 feet) above sea level. The area is a distinct physiographic section of the larger Sierra Madre del Sur province, which in turn is part of the larger Sierra Madre System physiographic division. The Sierra Madre del Sur is a Mountain range in southern Mexico, extending 1000 km from southern Michoacán east through Guerrero, to the

Geology

On February 12, 2008, a 6. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Oaxaca.

Municipalities and regions

Main article: Municipalities of Oaxaca

The state of Oaxaca is divided into municipalities (Spanish: municipios), 570 in all—more than any other state. The Mexican state of Oaxaca is made up of 570 municipalities ( municipios)&mdashmore than any other state Municipalities ( municipios in Spanish) are the second-level administrative division in Mexico (where the first-level administrative division is the Each municipality is headed by a municipal president (mayor). A presidente municipal ( English: " municipal president " is the chief of government of Municipios in Mexico

The municipalities are grouped into the following 8 regions:^[8]

• Cañada
• Costa
• Istmo
• Juchitan
• Papaloapan
• Sierra Norte
• Sierra Sur
• Valles Centrales

Demographics

Oaxaca has a high concentration of indigenous people. There are sixteen formally registered indigenous communities, some of which are culturally diverse themselves.

The sixteen groups and the number of speakers of their language according to the 2005 census are:

Zapotec - 357,134[9] Mixtec - 290,049 Mazateco - 164,673 Chinanteco - 104,010 Mixes - 103,089 Chatino - 42,477 Trique - 18,292 Huave - 15,324

Cuicateco - 12,128 Zoque - 10,000 (est) Amuzgo - 4,819 Chontal - 4,610 Tacuate - 1,726 Chochotec - 524 Ixcateco - 207 Popoloco - 61

Of these, 477,788 are non-Spanish monolingual. The Zapotecs are an indigenous people of Mexico. The population is concentrated in the southern state of Oaxaca, but Zapotec communities exist The Mixtec (or Mixteca) are an indigenous Mesoamerican people inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla The Mazatecan languages are a closely related group of indigenous Mesoamerican languages spoken in the northern part of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico The Chinantecs are an indigenous people that lives in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico, especially in the districts of Cuicatlán Ixtlán de Juarez Tuxtepec The Mixe or Mije (always pronounced) is an indigenous group inhabiting the eastern highlands of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Chatino is the Spanish name of an indigenous people of southern central Mexico, and also of their language the Chatino language. The Trique or Triqui are an indigenous people of the western part of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, centered in the municipalities of Juxtlahuaca Huave (also spelled Wabe) is a Language isolate spoken by the indigenous Huave people on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state The Cuicatecs are an indigenous group of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, closely related to the Mixtecs They inhabit two towns Teutila and The Zoque are an indigenous people of Mexico; they speak variants of the Zoque languages. Amuzgo is an Oto-Manguean language spoken in the Costa Chica region of the Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Chocho (also Chocholtec, Chocholteco Chochotec, Chochon, or Ngigua) is a language of the Popolocan branch of the Ixcatec is a language spoken by the people of the Mexican village of Santa María Ixcatlán in the northern part of the state of Oaxaca. Sierra Popoluca, also sometimes referred to as Soteapanec, Soteapan Zoque, or Highland Popoluca, is a Mixe-Zoquean language of the Zoquean ^[10]

Tourism and regional festivals

Oaxaca's principal industry is tourism, with over 250 kilometers (155 mi) of beaches, colonial architecture, archaeological treasures, crafts and folkart. The prominent colonial destination is the city of Oaxaca which contains the Santo Domingo Temple, the Government Palace, the Macedonio Alcala Theater, the Rufino Tamayo Museum of Prehispanic Art, and the House of Cortés. The Museo Rufino Tamayo is an Art Museum in the city of Oaxaca Oaxaca, in southern Mexico.

Monte Alban is the dominant archaeological destination, having been the capital of the ancient Mixtec-Zapotec empire. Monte Albán is a large Pre-Columbian Archaeological site in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Mitla, originally meaning "place of the dead" in Zapotec, is known for its unique ancient tile work. ^[11]

Major festivals include the día de los muertos (day of the dead) and noche de los rabanos (night of the radishes). The In Zapotec villages, families traditionally finance the large communally organized dances and feasts on patron saints' days through a system of making small loans over many years and then calling them in on an occasion when the family has volunteered to be the festival sponsor or mayordomo; this economic system is known in Zapotec as guelaguetza. This practice has given its name to the largest festival of dance and music in the state, the Guelaguetza,^[12] a major attraction for regional, national, and international tourists that is put on annually at a stadium built for the purpose overlooking the city of Oaxaca. The Guelaguetza, or Los lunes del cerro (Mondays of the Hill is an annual cultural celebration that takes place in the city of Oaxaca, capital of the state of

Transportation is provided by a many secondary roads and highways, and a toll-road that leads to Mexico City through Puebla and another that will lead from Oaxaca City to Huatulco. Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico Is a Mexican state located in the center east of the country to the east of Mexico City. Huatulco (waˈtulko wah-TOOL-coe) ("Bahías de Huatulco" centered around the town of La Crucecita Major airports are found in Oaxaca City, Huatulco and Puerto Escondido and are served by the airlines Aeroméxico, Aerocaribe, Aerotucan, Aviacsa, and Mexicana. Puerto Escondido (literally "Hidden Port" is a port city and tourist center in the municipality of San Pedro Mixtepec Distrito 22 in the Aerovías de México SA de CV, operating as AeroMéxico, is an Airline based in Mexico City, Mexico. Aerocaribe was an airline based in Mérida Yucatán, Mexico. It was a regional affiliate of Mexicana operating services under the Mexicana Inter banner Aviacsa (Consorcio Aviaxsa SA de CV is an Airline based in Monterrey, Mexico.

Culture

Crafts

Oaxaca has a number of native crafts, including the production of alebrijes, weaving and black clay objects. An alebrije (aleˈβɾihe is a brightly-colored Mexican Folk art sculptures of fantastical animal-like creatures This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. Black Clay, or "Barro Negro" is a traditional technique used in Oaxaca, Mexico for the production of Pottery. Alebrijes are popular wooden figurines of mythical beings, animals, and fantastic combinations of both, usually painted with very vibrant colors. An alebrije (aleˈβɾihe is a brightly-colored Mexican Folk art sculptures of fantastical animal-like creatures

Zapotec weaving traditions were studied at length by Edwin Scheier and Mary Goldsmith in the 1960s. Edwin Scheier ( November 11, 1910 - April 20, 2008) was an American Artist, best known for his ceramic works with his wife Mary Scheier ( May 9, 1908 – May 14, 2007) was a noted American Ceramicist, and the wife and artistic partner of ^[13]

Cuisine

For the same reasons its people are so diverse, Oaxaca boasts a tremendous diversity of regional cuisine, nicknamed "Land of the Seven Moles. Mole (ˈmole ( Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl mulli or molli, "sauce" is the generic name for several Sauces " An abundance of fruits and vegetables are grown in the central valley, tropical fruits are found in the north and fish and shellfish dominate the cuisine of the south. Oaxaca is also known for Oaxaca cheese (quesillo) which is now exported around the world and even made in many locations in the United States. Oaxaca Cheese (or Queso Oaxaca) is a white semi-hard Cheese of Mexican origin similar to un-aged Monterey Jack cheese but with a Mozzarella There is also a breakfast specialty, generally only available in Oaxaca - huevos oaxaqueños - eggs poached in a chili-tomato soup. An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish The chili pepper, chilli pepper, or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the Genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade The tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum, syn Lycopersicon lycopersicum) is a herbaceous usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family Another specialty is chapulines, an unusual dish composed primarily of barbecued grasshoppers. Chapulines are Grasshoppers of the genus Sphenarium. They are considered a Delicacy by many Mexicans They are collected only Grasshoppers are Insects of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. Oaxaca is also known for producing mezcal, a spirit similar to tequila. Mezcal (from Nahuatl mexcalli, "earth roast maguey hearts" wrongly known as 'mescal' is a Mexican distilled spirit protected by International Tequila is an agave-based spirit made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, in the northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands (

Corn is the staple food but the preparation of corn dough varies wildly, from entomadas and empanadas to tamales and tortillas. An empanada (not to be confused with the Portuguese empada, which is a different dish is essentially a stuffed Pastry. A tamale ( Spanish tamal, from Nahuatl tamalli) is a traditional indigenous American food consisting of steam-cooked corn In Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the United States, and Canada, a tortilla is a type of thin unleavened Black beans are also a common ingredient, as is the pasilla oaxaquena chile which gives many dishes their distinct hot, smoky taste and red color.

Oaxaca is also well-known for its chocolate, which is made from ground cacao beans, and frequently includes almonds, cinnamon and many other ingredients. ^[14]

Plants and shamanism

Oaxaca is known for at least two plants which are native to this particular area of the world, both used in Shamanism: Psilocybe mushrooms and Salvia divinorum. Psilocybe is a Genus of small Mushrooms growing worldwide This genus is best known for its species with hallucinogenic properties widely Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner’s Sage, ska María Pastora, Sage of the Seers, or simply by the genus name

Other entheogens in the region include:

• Calea zacatechichi
• Coleus pumilus
• Coleus blumei
• Lophophora williamsii (Peyote)
• Rivea corymbosa (Ololiúqui)
• Ipomoea_tricolor (Commonly Morning Glory)
• Datura stramonium

And several 5-MeO-DMT/Dimethyltryptamine containing plants, often used in Ayahuasca brews. Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Cheech, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous Chontal of the Lophophora williamsii (loʊˈfɒfərə wɪlˈjæmsiaɪ lō-fof′ŏ-ră will-yăm′sē-ī better known by its common name Peyote, (from the Rivea corymbosa (common synonym Turbina corymbosa) is a species of Morning glory, native throughout Latin America from Mexico Ipomoea tricolor is a species of morning glory native to the New World Tropics, and widely cultivated and naturalised elsewhere Jimsonjade, known by the Common names jimson weed, ditch weed, Good weed, loco weed, Korean morning glory 5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine is a very powerful psychedelic Tryptamine. Dimethyltryptamine (DMT also known as NN -dimethyltryptamine, is a naturally occurring Tryptamine and potent psychedelic drug found not only in This entry focuses on the Ayahuasca brew for information on the vine of the same name see Banisteriopsis caapi Ayahuasca

See also

• Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca
• 2006 Oaxaca protests
• Municipalities of Oaxaca

Major communities

• Huatulco
• Huajuapan de León
• Juchitán de Zaragoza
• Oaxaca (Oaxaca de Juárez)
• Puerto Escondido
• Salina Cruz
• San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
• Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán
• Santa Lucía del Camino
• Tehuantepec (Santo Domingo Tehuantepec)

Notes

Bibliography

• Spencer, Charles S. , 2007. State Formation in Ancient Oaxaca. History & Mathematics: Historical Dynamics and Development of Complex Societies. Moscow: KomKniga. ISBN 5484010020
• Wasserspring, Lois. Oaxacan Ceramics: Traditional Folk Art by Oaxacan Women. ISBN 081182358X

External links

• (Spanish) Official site of the State Government
• (Spanish) Official site of the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca
• (English) Keep up-to-date on the repression and resistance
• Oaxaca Travel and Tourism at the Open Directory Project
• Oaxaca Times
• Mexican and Central American Archaeological Projects - Electronic articles published by the Division of Anthropology, American Museum of Natural History. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory
• A less crowded, more colorful Oaxaca
• A political analysis of the Oaxaca Commune
• The Art of Revolution - Read how the people of Oaxaca support their cause by selling art.

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